U.S. patent number 4,633,939 [Application Number 06/348,096] was granted by the patent office on 1987-01-06 for heat transfer device for oil temperature regulator.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Modine Manufacturing. Invention is credited to Dennis C. Granetzke.
United States Patent |
4,633,939 |
Granetzke |
January 6, 1987 |
Heat transfer device for oil temperature regulator
Abstract
A heat transfer device comprising in one embodiment concentric
tubes with spaced surfaces to define a fluid flow space through
which a heat transfer fluid is directed and with this space being
spanned by a series of fins extending between the tubes with at
least one of the tubes being provided with spaced contact members
extending toward the other tube and engaging the fins compressively
to provide snug heat transfer contact between the boundary members
or tubes and the fins so as to compensate for variations in the
dimensions in one or both of the tubes and fins.
Inventors: |
Granetzke; Dennis C. (Racine,
WI) |
Assignee: |
Modine Manufacturing (Racine,
WI)
|
Family
ID: |
23366620 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/348,096 |
Filed: |
February 11, 1982 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/154; 165/76;
29/890.046 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28D
7/106 (20130101); F28F 1/105 (20130101); F28F
13/06 (20130101); F28F 13/12 (20130101); F28F
13/00 (20130101); Y10T 29/49378 (20150115); F28F
2265/26 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F28F
1/10 (20060101); B28D 007/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;165/154,183,76,185 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Cline; William R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Wood, Dalton, Phillips, Mason &
Rowe
Claims
I claim:
1. A heat transfer device comprising:
first and second boundary members having surfaces spaced apart to
define a fluid flow space;
a heat transfer member substantially spanning said space to be
contacted by said fluid, said member comprising a deformable heat
transfer material; and
spaced contact members on one of said boundary members engaging, at
correspondingly spaced locations, said heat transfer member
compressively to provide snug heat transfer contact between said
boundary members and said heat transfer member.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein said first and second boundary
members comprise substantially concentric tubes and said heat
transfer member has portions extending substantially radially of
said tubes.
3. The device of claim 2 wherein said tubes are essentially
concentric and said heat transfer member comprises a continuous
serpentine fin of thin metal with opposite crests adjacent said
boundary surfaces.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein said contact members comprise
rings at said spaced location on said one boundary member and
engaging and deforming the heat transfer member.
5. The device of claim 4 wherein said rings are integral with said
one boundary member.
6. The device of claim 4 wherein said rings are separate from but
mounted on said one boundary member.
7. A heat transfer device comprising:
first and second concentric tubes defining boundary members having
surfaces spaced apart to define a fluid flow space;
a heat transfer fin substantially spanning said space to be
contacted by said fluid, said fin comprising a deformable heat
transfer metal; and
spaced rings on one of said boundary members each having a crest
engaging said fin at an edge thereof compressively to provide snug
heat transfer contact between said tubular means and said heat
transfer member.
8. The device of claim 7 wherein said tubes are essentially
concentric and said heat transfer member comprises a continuous
serpentine fin of thin metal with opposite crests adjacent said
boundary surfaces.
9. The device of claim 7 wherein said contact members comprise
spaced rings on said one boundary member and engaging and deforming
the heat transfer member.
10. The device of claim 9 wherein said rings are integral with said
one boundary member.
11. The device of claim 9 wherein said rings are separate from but
mounted on said one boundary member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As is disclosed in copending application of Norman F. Costello et
al. Ser. No. 286,568 filed July 24, 1981, now U.S. Pat. No.
4,401,091, one form of heat transfer device, shown embodied in an
oil temperature regulator, includes a flow passage for one of the
fluids defined by spaced surfaces of first and second boundary
members and specifically of substantially concentric tubes. The
intervening space is bounded by generally radiating fins of a soft
metal such as copper, brass or the like that are very thin and
usually provided with louvers so as to cause turbulence and
efficient heat transfer between one of these boundary members or
tubes and the fluid flowing through the space and the fins.
The fin that spans the fluid space is conveniently a serpentine fin
strip having opposite crests adjacent the spaced surfaces. This
serves as a heat transfer fin and as a turbulator as mentioned
above. In many embodiments, the inner boundary member or tube is
made of molded plastic. In addition, the fin height of the strip or
the spacing between the sets of opposite crests varies from the
intended dimensions and results frequently in a loose fit of the
fin within the space thereby reducing the heat transfer from the
boundary member or members to the fin and to the fluid flowing
through the space.
The present invention provides a structure that is
self-compensating so that regardless of variations of dimensions of
the fin or fin strip, there is always provided a close and thereby
effecient heat conducting relationship between the inner and outer
tubes and the fin regardless of normal variations in dimensions
from the design dimensions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In this invention, the inner and outer tubes or, broadly, the first
and second boundary members that have surfaces spaced apart to
define the fluid flow space have at least one of these boundary
members provided with spaced contact members. These can be spaced
separate rings, or integral ridges, having peaks projecting
slightly toward the other boundary member or tube so as to engage
the fin sections and compress them slightly, where necessary, to
insure a snug fit. These may be either separate rings or may be
integral with the boundary member or tube and may be either on the
inner surface of the outer boundary member or the outer surface of
the inner boundary member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a heat transfer device,
and particularly an oil temperature regulator, of the type
described in the above Costello et al. application Ser. No.
286,568;
FIG. 2 is a transverse section taken substantially along line 2--2
of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially
along line 3--3 of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 is a view similar to the bottom portion of FIG. 3
illustrating a second embodiment of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the illustrated embodiment, the oil temperature regulator
comprises an outer tube 11 and an inner tube 12 with the tube 11
being surrounded by water jacket tube 13 spaced from the outer tube
11 to provide a water jacket 14 through which heated water 15 may
flow as from an engine water jacket. This water flows into the
space 14 by way of an inlet fitting 16 and an outlet fitting
17.
The inner and outer tubes 11 and 12 that define the fluid space 18
between them are connected at one end of each by an inlet fitting
19 having a coaxial entrance 22.
The opposite ends of the tubes 11 and 12 are connected by an outlet
fitting 23 having a coaxial exit opening 24.
In the illustrated embodiment, the heated liquid coolant or water
15 heats oil 25 that is directed into and through the space 18 and
exit opening 27 from this space and through the axial exit opening
24. The temperature controlled valve arrangement of the illustrated
embodiment here is described in detail and claimed in the above
Costello et al. application and forms no part of the present
invention except for the common details shown and described in the
two applications.
The fluid flow space 18 between the tubes 11 and 12 is spanned by
the heat transfer member 28 in the form of a serpentine fin strip
having radial sides 29 connected by inner 32 and outer 33 crests.
Each of the sides 29 is provided with spaced integral louvers 34
struck from the sides so as to create turbulence.
As is customary in this art, the serpentine fin 28 may be
constructed of soft deformable metal such as a thin sheet of
copper, brass or the like. These fins often vary in dimensions from
manufacturer to manufacturer and will even vary one from the other
for each individual manufacturer. Therefore, some of the fins 28
will have a more or less loose fit within the flow space 18 and
this is particularly true when one or both of the inner and outer
tubes 11 and 12 are made of a rigid plastic.
Any loose fit will of course reduce the efficiency of the heat
transfer from the outside of the space 18 such as from the coolant
jacket 14 to the liquid 15 flowing through the space 18. In order
to overcome this problem, the invention provides spaced contact
members on at least one of the boundary members 11 and 12 for
engaging the heat transfer member fin 28 compressively to provide
snug heat transfer contact between these boundary members or tubes
and the heat transfer member or fin 28.
In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, these contact members are in the
form of spaced, annular, ring-shaped ridges 35 integral with and
forming a part of inner tube 12. As can be seen in FIG. 3, these
ring-shaped ridges 35 deform a section 36 of the fin crests 32
thereby forming a snug, highly efficient heat transfer contact
between the outer tube 11, the fin 29 and the inner tube 12.
In this embodiment, the rings or ridges 35 are integral with one of
the tubes, here the inner tube 12. In this embodiment of FIG. 4,
the rings 37 are separate from the tube 12 but are now in very
close contact with the tube at the contact surfaces 38. Thus, in
this embodiment as in the first embodiment, the compressive rings
37 deform the fin 28 at the crests 32 to achieve snug, highly
efficient heat transfer contact between the tube 11 and the
intermediate fin 28.
In manufacturing the transfer device of this invention as
illustrated in the two embodiments of the drawings, the fin ring 28
is placed in the interior of the exterior tube 11, and then the
inner tube 12 is pushed through the inside of the fin ring 28,
thereby forming a tight fit between the fin ring and the tubes.
* * * * *